"I don't know as I did."
"But you did more than that for me. I was intoxicated; I cannot deny it. I fell into the river in that state. If I had been found drowned, the cause of my death would have been rum!" he added, with a shudder. "I have always been classed with the moderate drinkers, though sometimes I don't taste of liquor for a week. Rather to oblige my friends than to gratify my own taste, I drank with them till I was in the state you saw me. I was drunk. What a scandal to my family, to my position, to my church! If it could have been said the Hon. Moses Fishley was drowned in consequence of getting intoxicated, I should not have slept in peace in my grave. You saved my life; and I am sure no one knew me, so that I hope to save my reputation. It has been a terrible lesson to me, and with God's forgiveness for the past, and his help for the future, I will never drink another drop of wine or liquor."
"I am sorry it happened, sir; but I am willing to do all I can for you without any money," I interposed.
"My gratitude, if nothing else, compels me to give you what I have given; and I hope you never will mention the matter."
"Never, sir!"
"I know that I deserve the humiliation of an exposure," continued the squire, in a very mournful tone; "but I feel that the facts would injure the cause of truth and religion more than they would injure me. My brother used to think I was a hypocrite because I attended to the concerns of the soul. I don't know that he has thought so since I went into the Senate. He used to laugh at me for going to the prayer meetings; and I don't know what he would say if he should learn that I got drunk and fell into the river."
"He will never find it out from me, sir; but I don't want all this money."
"Keep it; but I trust you will not spend it foolishly, nor let my brother know that you have it."
"I will do neither. Captain Fishley and I don't get along well enough together for me to say anything to him."
"Why, what's the matter?"